Gate operating mechanism



Oct. 25, 1932. A DINA 1,884,606

GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 51, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 awuwto'c 4060670 fl/A A 351 Ab mime/1a Oct. 25, 1932. A. DINA GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 31, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 25, 1932. A Dl 1,884,606

' GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 31, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUGUSTO DINA, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL PRO- JECTOR CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,' A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE GATE OPERATIN G MECHANISM Application filed December 31, 1928. Serial No. 329,336.

This invention relates to motion picture projection machines, and more particularly go a new and improved film gate control there- 5 An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved film gatecontrol which is positive in operation and is mounted in a readily accessible position.

Another object is to provide a lock for a :o film gate by means of which the gate may be secured in either open or closed position.

Another object is to provide automatic means for closing the gate and locking the I same in closed position.

15 A further object is to provide a single cntrol for unlocking and opening the gate.

A still further object is to provide for automatically locking the gate in open position.

Other objects and advantages "will be ap- .20 parent as the nature of the invention is disclosed.

The invention provides a slidable rod on which the film gate is mounted, and means for locking the same in either open or closed position. The rod may be controlled from a handle, located on the side of the projection head, by means of an arm cooperating with a pawl mounted on said rod whereby the rod is unlocked and moved laterally in response to a single movement of the control handle. A. detent and latch are provided for maintaining the rod in its extreme position in which the film gateis opgn, and automatic means is included for closing said film gate 55 and engaging the pawl when the latch is released.

The invention further provides a simplilied mounting for the various parts of the film gate control whereby they may be readily attached to the frame of the projection head.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claimsappended hereto the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, the mode of its op eration and the manner of its organization may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the film gate control showing the. relative location of the various parts;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the control mechanism showing the associated projection head;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the control handle and film gate supporting rod;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the control mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the cap for supporting the pivoted locking member; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the following description and in the claims parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the invention is shown as applied to the projection head of a motion picture projection machine including a frame member 10 upon which the same parts of the apparatus are supported. Film ll passes through the projection head over an aperture plate (not shown) which is secured to framework 10, over intermittent sprocket l2 and feed sprocket 13, forming loop 14-, a suitable chamber being provided in the projection head for receiving said loop. Various control mechanisms, such as shutter control 15 and a framing control 16 are carried by the casing in any suitable manner. A particular form of mounting for said controls is set forth in my copending application, Serial No. 368,481 filed June 5, 1929 for improvements in bracket for projection machine shutter.

The film gate (not shown) is mounted on a film gate support 20 which is carried by slidable rod 21. Bearing members for said rod. are provided in housing 22 which is formed as a part of the framework 16 of the pro]ec tion head. Rod 2l, as shown more in detail Bil in Fig. is secured to a tube 24 which is frame of the projection adapted to slide in housing 22. Coil spring 25 is mounted interiorly of said tube and bears against stationary collar 26 (Fig. 1) which is secured in housing 22 and includes a bearing surface in which rod '21 may slide.

Cap 30 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) is secured to tube 24 in any desired manner and is provided with ears 31 in which bell crank lever 32 is pivoted as by pin 33. Said lever is provided with pawl 34 which bears against housing 22 for locking the rod 21 in its extended position. Cap 30 is provided with a hollow bore aligning with a recess in rod 21 in which a hollow pin is inserted. Said pin carries plunger 41 which is pressed outwardly by means of spring 42. Bell crank lever 32 is provided with a contacting surface 43 which cooperates with plunger 41 for normally urging said lever in a counter-clockwise direction and maintaining pawl 34 in engagement with housing 22. Said lever also carries a contacting surface 44 which cooperates with cap 30 for causing longitudinal movement of the entire assembly including rod 21 and film gate support 20.

A control rod provided with a suitable handle 51 is journaled in yoke 52 which may be supported from framework 10 by any desired means. Rod 50 preferably extends at right angles to rod 21 and projects at the side of the projection head Where handle 51 is readily accessible to the operator. Yoke 52 has been shown in Fig. 2 as including a bearing section 53 in which shaft 54 carrying shutter 55 may be mounted, and is secured as by bolts 56 to a member 57 supporting the framing rod 58. This particular construction, however, forms no part of the present invention and is set forth in my copending application above referred to.

Rod 50 is provided with a sleeve 60 carrying bifurcated arm 61. Said arm is provided with a pin 62 which is adapted to contact with lever 32 for moving the same about pin 33 against the tension of spring 42 and for moving rod 21 in a longitudinal direction against the tension of spring 25. Spring 63 may be positioned about rod 50 if desired for normally maintaining arm 61 out of engagement with lever 32.

Mounted on film gate support 20 is a detent 65 which cooperates with a latch member 66 for holding the gate in open position. Latch member 66 may be mounted on the head in any desired manner as by screw 67.

In the operation of the projection head, the gate is normally held closed by means of spring 25 and pawl 34. Spring 25 forces rod 21 into its extreme lefthand position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, carrying pawl 34 past the end of housing 22. Spring pressed plunger 41 then causes counter-clockwise movement of lever 32 bringing said pawl into engagementwith housing 22 and locking the gate firmly in closed position. Arm 61 is held in disengaged position by spring 63 or may be free to move in response to the normal locking movement of lever 32.

In order to open the film gate, handle 51 may be moved in a counter-clockwise direction, swinging the arm 61 into contact with lever 32 thereby causing said lever to pivot about pin 33 for releasing pawl 34 from housing 22. Further movement of arm 61 then compresses spring 25 and causes gate 30, tube 24 and rod 21 to move to the right thereby opening the film gate. Detent 65 which is carried by film gate support 20 is also moved to the right and is locked by latch member 66 in that position thereby preventing the film gate from again closing. After the film has been threaded in the machine, latch 66 is released thereby disengaging the same from detent 65 and allowing moved to a closed position under the influence of spring 25 whereupon plunger 41 will again bring pawl 34 into engagement with housing 22 for locking the gate in closed position.

It is to be noted that in the above described apparatus the film gate may be unlocked and opened by a simple turning movement of the control handle and becomes automatically locked in open position. It may be again closed by simply operating latch 66 Whereupon the gate automatically closes and locks against any movement until it is again opened by the control handle. By mounting the control rod 50 at right angles to rod 21, the

handle may be located on the side of the projection head where it is readily accessible to the operator and permits free movement 0 the gate without danger of touching the shutter.

WVhile certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In a projection head of a. motion picture projection machine, a film gate support, means for movably mounting said support with respect to said projection head comprising a slidable rod extending longitudinally of said machine, and means for controlling the position of said rod including a rotatable rod extending at right angles thereto and having a handle accessible from the side of said projection head. I

2. In a projection head, a rod for supporting a film gate, means for slidably mounting said rod, a control shaft extending at right angles thereto, a swinging arm secured to said shaft and operatively associated with the film gate to be said rod, and means for causing said arm to produce longitudinal movement of said rod.

3. A film gate support comprising a. slidable rod, a pawl for locking said rod in an extreme position, a control shaft extending at right angles to said rod and having a swinging arm and movable axially of said rod and means associated with said arm for releasing said pawl and thereafter causing longitudinal movement of said rod.

4. A film gate support comprising a rod, means for slidably mounting said rod, a spring for normally holding said rod in a given position, a lever carried by said rod and I having a pawl associated therewith for locking said rod in extended position, a spring pressed part for normally holding said pawl in engaging position, control means for said rod including a shaft extending at right angles thereto, and a swinging arm attached to said shaft and engaging with said lever, said arm being adapted to first depress said lever and release said pawl and then cause longitudinal movement of said rod.

5. A film gate support comprising a rod, means for slidably mounting said rod, a spring for normally holding said rod in a given position, a lever pivotally mounted on said rod and having a pawl associated therewith for locking s'aid rod in extended position, a spring pressed part for normally holding said pawlin engaging position, con-- trol means for said rod including a shaft extending at right angles thereto, a swinging arm attached to said shaft and having a bifurcated end, and a pin carried by said end and engaging with said lever, said arm being adapted to first depress said lever and release said pawl and then cause longitudinal movement of said rod.

6. A film gate support comprising a rod, means for slidably mounting said rod, :1 tubular member secured to the end of said rod and partially overlying the same, a spring seated between said tubular member and said rod for normally holding said rod in a given osition, a cap secured to said tubular memer, a lever pivoted to said cap and having a pawl associated therewith for locking said rod in extended position, a spring pressed part carried by said cap for normally holding said pawl in engaging position, control means for said rod including a shaft extending at right angles thereto, a swinging arm attached to said shaft and having a bifurcated end, and a pin carried by said end and engaging with said lever, said arm being adapted to first depress said lever and release said pawl and then cause longitudinal movement of said rod.

7. A film gate support comprising a rod, means for slidably mounting said rod, a tubular member secured to the end of said rod and partially overlying the same, a spring seated between said tubular member and said rod for normally holding said rod in a given position, a cap secured to said tubular member, a lever pivoted to said cap and having a pawl associated therewith for locking said rod in extended position and a spring pressed detent carried by said cap for normally holding said pawl in engaging position.

8. A film gate support comprising a rod, means for slidably mounting said rod, a spring carried by said rod for normally holding said rod in a given position, a lever pivotally mounted on said rod and having a pawl associated therewith for locking said rod in extended position and a spring pressed part for normally holding said pawl in engaging position.

9. A film gate support comprising a rod, means for slidably mounting said rod, {1 spring carried by said rod for normally holding said rod in a given position, a cap secured to said rod, a lever pivoted to said cap and having a pawl associated therewith for locking said rod in extended position and a spring pressed part carried by said cap for normally holding said pawl in engaging position.

10. In combination with a projection head, a film gate support comprising a slidable rod, resilient means for normally maintaining said rod in one position, a pawl carried by said rod and cooperating with a portion of said projection head for locking said rod in said position, a swinging arm contactin with said pawl for releasing the same an causing longitudinal movement of said rod, means for locking said rod in a second position, said resilient means automatically moving said rod to its first position when said second locking means is released, and means for automatically causing engagement of said pawl when said rod is in its first position.

, AUGUSTO DINA. 

